


Caffeine Fix

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Writer’s Month 2019 [3]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben Solo & Poe Dameron Both Love Coffee, Eventual Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Fluff and Humor, Light Angst, M/M, Starbucks AU, Writer Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-16 03:48:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20185729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Two guys meet in a Starbucks...





	Caffeine Fix

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: For the prompt “coffee shop AU”. No idea if Starbucks counts, but what the hell.

“Is this table taken?”

Ben had to admit that he nearly jolted at the sound of the voice — a very soft, pretty-sounding voice, he couldn’t help but admit. He was already typing the next paragraph of his work-in-progress novel about his character, Kylo Ren, and he couldn’t help but feel a sort of protectiveness regarding his work. It was one of those things where he didn’t know if he was ready for anyone to see what was on the screen. All that hard work that he had put into it. 

“No,” he said. “Not really.” 

He looked up at the source of the voice, and saw a handsome — no, striking, really — young Latino man standing near him, with curly black hair and warm brown eyes. Ben couldn’t help but, momentarily, feel almost awkward in comparison. He knew that he wasn’t really much to look at himself — he was a little awkward, a little gangly. 

“That’s good.” The other man sat down across from him, running a hand through curly black hair so casually that Ben felt a strange tug of familiarity towards him. It was the sort of thing that he thought only really existed in books, in movies — like that scene in the book _Salem’s Lot _when Ben Mears met Susan Norton. Granted, everything went to hell after that, so not a perfect metaphor, but still...

”I’m Poe, by the way. Poe Dameron.” the other man said. 

Interesting name. Someone in the Dameron family was a fan of horror books, Ben could only suppose. “Ben Solo,” he said, suddenly feeling terribly shy. 

“Nice to meet you, Ben,” Poe said. “Sorry if I interrupted you.” He cracked a smile, and there was something about it that made Ben’s heart almost skip a beat. 

“No problem.” Across from them, two people were getting in a pretty involved conversation about Avengers Endgame and superheroes. Ben couldn’t say he saw the appeal of movies like that, but there was something about hearing those two people good-naturedly going at it felt...well, almost like acceptable background noise for your average Starbucks. “You didn’t really interrupt me,” Ben said. “Not really.”

”Ah. Good. Don’t worry — I’m not gonna peek.”

Ben laughed. He couldn’t help it. Poe smiled at him. “Really. I won’t.” A beat. “You’re much of a writing type, Ben?”

Ben nodded. “You could say that.”

“Cool. What do you like to write?”

”Mostly sci-fi,” Ben said. 

“Cool.” Poe smiled again as he spoke. If only that damn smile wouldn’t make him look so radiant. Frustratingly beautiful, as Rey would have said. "I’m a pretty big fan of that.”

”Cool.” 

“So, what brings you to this part of Starbucks?”

Ben sighed. Truthfully, he had had issues dealing with his nightmares and sleep issues. He’d thought that they’d gotten better, but not really. It was one of those things that had just increased without really any cause you could put a finger on. 

“Mostly trying not to fall asleep while writing,” he said lightly. Or at least, trying to sound light. He didn’t know how well he really did at sounding jokey. “Not exactly the ideal way to fall asleep.”

Poe laughed. Ben couldn’t say that he minded. After all, the fact that he had actually gotten a laugh out of this — really — very charming and beautiful man...that was an accomplishment in and of itself. 

“Yeah,” Poe said. “You could say that.”

”What brings you here?”

”Mmmmm, good question. Could be the coffee, could be meeting charming people like yourself...”

Ben wouldn’t deny that his heart skipped a beat at that. “Well...thanks.” He grinned, a bit awkwardly. “I’m not the first person who comes to mind when you say that.”

”So far? I’d say you’re making a good impression.”

They talked. Eventually, they had to go (thankfully, it was Saturday, so they didn’t necessarily have to go to anything important), but even walking out with Poe’s number in his contact info, Ben couldn’t help but feel like he really had made a new friend. 


End file.
